Sonia Rajan
Sonia Rajan is an Indian American dancer, actor, singer, social activist and motivational speaker. Learning from esteemed artists of in the field, and having had the privilege of touring around the world, Sonia has made her distinct mark in the artistic field. She is known for her unique dancing style, endearing expressions, and powerful social themes that she brings to life through her choreography. She has also been a part of a number of theater productions and film ventures in the US and in India. Sonia has received a number of awards and accolades, amongst which include aIn addition to being a performer, Sonia is a human rights activist and an outspoken mental health advocate. Sonia was born July 12, 1990, in New York City, New York. Her father, Sidharth Rajan, a lawyer by profession, and her mother Gayatri Shekhar-Rajan, a gynecologist, both moved to New York City from Mumbai, India in 1988. Sonia grew up in Brooklyn were she completely her initial schooling, before heading to NYU to double major in psychology and political science. Sonia was introduced to dance at the tender age of the 4, gaining exposure to both Eastern and Western styles of dancing- all of which influenced the unique contemporary dancing style that she would later become famous for. Among the various styles that she learnt, it was Bharatanatyam, an ancient Indian classical dance form, that really caught on for her. She began training under the tutelage of Priyadarshini Govind, a celebrated Bharatanatyman exponent, at the age of 7, and continues to look to her for advice and training till this day. She also received formal training in ballet and contemporary jazz. Young Sonia actively participated in school plays, and speech competitions, and leadership, cultivating her skills as a performer. Sonia is known to have close relationship with her family and credits them for much of her success. Sonia has a younger brother, Shyam, who is a cardiologist based in Los Angeles. During her days at NYU, Sonia continued to travel with her teacher, Priyadarshini, performing at various venues across the US, the UK, India, Australia, and parts of Europe. It was during one of her tours to India, that she was spotted by leading producer and director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who ultimately signed her on for her first film venture. The movie, though thematically unconventional, when on to become a huge success, and opened up many doors for young Sonia, both in India and in Hollywood. Her performance in The Lightpost, won her a national honor from the government of India. Sonia was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Shattered. Sonia married her childhood friend and long-term partner, Rahul Kapoor, in a quite wedding ceremony in Mumbai, with close friends and family. A grand reception was held later in New York City, an event that was graced by much of the film and dance fraternity. They have two children, Aarav and Sathvika, ages 3 and 8 respectively. Sonia has volunteered and donated to a number of charities funding the education of underprivileged youth in third world countries, mental health awareness and women empowerment. She considers herself a feminist, and has expressed her views on the importance of equality and human rights on a number of occasions through out her career. Ramya Ramesh